Rumors have swirled that Apple plans to add a camera to the iPod Touch. And, once the iPhone appeared with a camera capable of taking decent pictures and recording video, it became more than likely that the newest version of the iPod Touch would receive similar treatment. Now those rumors seem to be coming true.
Inside sources revealed to Wired that the next iteration of the iPod Touch will be capable of snapping photos and perhaps capturing video. Also, the iPod Touch may come with a built-in microphone, which would transform the music player into a VoIP powerhouse and a Wi-Fi talk box alternative to Apple's own iPhone. (Of course, there are hacks to transform your iPod Touch into an iPhone already, but they require jail- and warranty-breaking.)
A refresh of the iPod line typically comes during the summer, and Wired's source claims iPod Touches with cameras and microphones should hit shelves in two or three months. It's my guess that the iPod Touch will function exactly like the iPhone, minus the phone part. Once they are on the market, Apple will have a near-stranglehold on voice communication.
If the iPod Touch adds ability to take pictures and record video, it just might make other multimedia devices hide under the bed. Why purchase a Flip Mino, capable of only recording video, when you can have an iPod Touch that does it all?